Pelleting machine



Aug. 8, 1961 .1. K. ROSKAMP PELLETING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledSept. 14, 1959 INVENTOR JOHN K. ROS/(AMP BY /ZMLZ M ATTORNEY 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 14, 1959 INVENTOR J OHN K. ROS/(AMP ATTORNEYAug. 8, 1961 J. K. ROSKAMP 2,995,096

PELLETING MACHINE Filed Sept. 14, 1959 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOHNK. ROS/(AMP BY W ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 8, 1961 2,995,096 PELLETINGMACHINE John K. Roskamp, 616 Grand Blvd., Cedar Falls, Iowa Filed Sept.14, 1959, Ser. No. 839,760 7 Claims. (Cl. 10714) This invention relatesto pelleting machines for processing suitable mixes of ground grains andthe like to provide pellets, by extruding such mixes through dies undersuflicient pressure to cause the materials to be discharged in rod-likecontinuous form, which are thereafter severed into short pieces orpellets as they leave the die. More particularly, the invention consistsin new and useful improvements in a machine of this character includinga perforated die ring adapted for rotation about a vertical axis and acoacting pellet pressing roller therein, mounted on a parallel buteccentric axis, the die ring being radially supported by a series ofperipherally spaced idler rollers which sustain the pressure exerted onthe inner periphery of the die ring by the pellet pressing roller.

An object of the invention is to provide a pelleting machine having arelatively large internal pellet pressing roller supported in anadjustable mount, whereby the pressure exerted by the revolving rolleragainst the die ring may be varied as required.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pelleting machine ofthis type including a freely rotatable internal pellet pressing rollerwhich rotates with a minimum loss of torque due to friction between thedie ring and the pellet pressing roller.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pelleting machineincluding vertical. auger type means to facilitate the even distributionof the mixture being processed, along the vertical surfaces of the diering and pellet pressing roller adjacent their points of contact.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pelleting machinewherein the components are supported in a structural steel frame work toprovide a heavy duty machine with a minimum of weight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter having a maximum capacity with a minimum sensitiveness of feedand wherein the large internal pellet pressing roller is designed torequire less power input than conventional machines, while maintaining ahighly satisfactory rate of production.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention con sists in the novel featuresherein set forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designatesimilar parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the pelleting machine of thepresent invention, taken on line 11 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the machine.

Briefly, the invention comprises a suitably supported die member in theform of a cylindrical die ring having extrusion apertures extendingthrough the wall thereof. A single, relatively large pressure applyingroller is positioned within, and in axial eccentric relation to, thebore of the ring to thereby provide between the roller and ring, a spacebounded by converging surfaces into which a mass of moldable materialsis introduced. The die ring which revolves about a vertical axis is heldin place by three idler rollers, preferably spaced 120 apart around thecircumference of the ring to thereby provide the necessary restraint inopposition to the pressure imposed on the die by the large pelletpressing roller located therein. The axis of the pellet pressing rollermay be shifted to adjust the pressure of the roller against the innerperiphery of the die ring. Means is provided for rotating the die ringwhich in turn, through frictional engagement with the periphery of thepellet pressing roller, causes the rotation of the latter so that thematerial in the space where the roller and die meet, will be compressedbetween converging surfaces thereof and forced through the die aperturesto form solidified rods which, upon emergence from the discharge end ofeach aperture, are broken or cut into fragments to form pellets ofpredetermined size. A hopper is located in position to feed the materialto be processed into the space between the roller and die ring and asuitable agitator is installed in this space to facilitate the evendistribution of materials being treated.

More specifica1ly, the machine of the present invention consists of aunit which is supported at its four corners by vertical angle irons 5,between which is secured a ring gear drive housing having side walls 6,closed by a cover plate 7 and a removable bottom plate 8 secured inplace by nuts and bolts 9. The walls and plates of the housing arepreferably constructed of steel plate and adapted to contain oil to alevel sufficient to lubricate and cool the drive gear mechanism locatedtherein. The cover plate 7 is of sufiicient strength to support thevarious mechanisms hereinafter referred to.

A main top plate 10 of heavy steel plate covers the upper portion of theframe, providing a rigid chassis for mounting the various pellet millcomponents hereinafter referred to and depending side skirts 11 ofsimilar steel plate are secured to the bounding edges of the top plateand the uprights 5, providing added support for the top plate and theentire frame structure.

Within this supporting frame structure, there is provided a pelletforming die 12 comprising a relatively thick walled cylindrical body,having a series of radial perforations 13 arranged in annular rowsthroughout its entire peripheral area. This ring-like body 12 isremovably supported on a die ring platen 14 by means of bolts 15 whichextend through a supporting flange 16 carried by the platen 14. Theplaten in turn is supported on the upper end of a vertical drive shaft17, rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 18 carried by the housing topplate 7, the lower end of said drive shaft extending through said topplate 7 and having mounted thereon a bevel ring gear 19, lying withinthe confines of the lubricating housing. Preferably, additional supportfor the platen 14 is provided by radial brace members 20 welded to theperiphery of the drive shaft 17 and the underside of the platen.

As Will be seen in FIG. 1, the bevel gear 19 is in the form of an outerbevel ring which is removably secured to a circular disc 19a which inturn is fastened to the vertical drive shaft 17. Thus, the gear portionof this device can be removed and replaced as required.

A complementary bevel gear 21 is mounted on a horizontal drive shaft 22supported in suitable bearings 23 in opposite side walls 6 of thelubricating housing, one end of said shaft 22 being extended to receivea V belt pulley 24 for driving the shaft 22 and in turn the verticalshaft 17.

A single, relatively large pellet pressing roller 25 of smaller diameterthan the inner diameter of the pellet forming die 12, is mountedwithinthe latter for rotation about a parallel but eccentric axis. This roller25 is integral with a vertical shaft 26 which is supported by heavy dutypillow block bearings 27 carried by an 4411. 5?

able bearing mounting frame 28 on the main top plate 10. As seen in FIG.2, the frame 28 is supported at both ends by plates 28a, having slots28b for accommodating adjusting and locking bolts 28c in top plate andis shiftable fore and aft on the top plate by means of an adjustingscrew 29 and nut 30. The screw extends through a crossbar 31 on theframe 28 and a laterally spaced bracket 32 fastened to one of the skirts11 of the supporting structure. Thus, the pressure exerted on the innerperiphery of the die 12 by the pellet pressing roller may be governed bythe position of the bearing mounting frame 23 on the top plate 10 andafter a selected pressure adjustment has been attained by tightening orloosening the nut on screw 29, the bearing frame 28 can be locked inposition by bolts 28c and by applying a second or lock nut 30:: on theadjusting screw 29. The vertical spacing of the two pillow blockbearings 27 as shown in the drawing, resists the horizontal forceimposed at the lower end of the roller shaft 26.

Lateral support for the pellet forming die 12 is supplied by threeappropriately spaced idler rollers 33 mounted on vertical idler shafts34, the lower ends of which are supported in sockets 35 welded solidlyto the cover plate 7 of the lubricating housing, their upper ends beingrotatably supported in openings 36 in the main top plate 16 Preferably,the die 12 is provided with a radially extending flange 37 extendingaround its upper end for engagement with a complementary recess 38 ineach of the idler rollers 33, as best seen in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

It will be apparent that the eccentric mounting of the large pelletpressing roller 25 within the die 12, practically fills the internalarea of the latter and provides a substantially crescent-shaped chamber39 in the die, to receive the material undergoing treatment, as bestseen in FIG. 3. The introduction or feed of material to this more orless confined chamber 39 is eifected by a hopper 40, the lower end ofwhich is supported in a feed opening 41 in a cover plate 42 which fitsover the cavity in the forming die 12. The cover plate proper 42 isslightly inset with respect to a radially projecting flange 43 carriedthereby, which in turn, fits flush within a complementary circularopening 44 in the main top plate 10. The flanged cover plate 42 isretained in place by means of a series of lugs 45, bolted as at 46, tothe top plate 10 and overlying the flange 43 at annularly spacedintervals.

-It will thus be seen that by removing the bearing frame 28 and theflanged cover plate 42, the pellet forming die and the pellet pressingroller can be easily removed. In this connection, it is to be noted thatvarious die rings having perforations of selected sizes can be used inconnection with this apparatus, due to the arrangement for removablyconnecting the die ring 12 to the platen 14.

In order to insure the uniform distribution of material being treated,as it is fed into the crescent-shaped chamber 39 in the die, 1 provide ahelical-type agitator 47 located within the chamber 39 anterior to theconverging surfaces of the die and roller. This agitator is carried by avertical shaft 48 which projects upwardly through the top plate 10 andis operativelyconnected to the roller shaft 26 by means of a belt 49 andpulley 50. The belt 49 passes over the upper end ofthe shaft'26 and whenthe latter rotates, the pulley 50 causes the agitator shaft 48 torotate, thus causing an upward distribution of the material in thechamber 39 to provide a uniform layer of material along the contactsurfaces of the roller and die.

The pellets which are extruded through the perforations 13 in the die 12are severed at the outer periphery of the die, by two adjustable pelletscraper blades located at 90 apart. One of these blades 51, as seen inFIGS. 1 and 3, is mounted on the end of an adjusting screw52 which issupported for longitudinal sliding movement in a fixture 53 which inturn is fixed to a sleeve 54,'rotatably mounted on one of the idlershafts 34, the outer threaded end of the screw 52 projecting through aslot in the adjacent skirt 11 of the supporting frame. Nuts 56 and 57,en-

iii

gaging the outer and inner faces of the skirt 11 adjacent the slot,maintain a selected adjustment of the scraper 51 with respect to theperiphery of the die 12.

A similar arrangement is provided at from the assembly just described,including a scraper 51a carried on the end of an adjusting screw 52awhich is slidably supported in a fixture 53a, rotatably mounted on avertical shaft 58 by means of a sleeve 54a. A slot 55a in the skirt 11receives the end of the adjusting screw 52a and outer and inner nuts 56aand 57a complete the assembly. Thus, the position of either blade can beadvanced and the distance away from the die face can be controlled, sothat one scraper can be spaced a greater distance from the periphery ofthe die than the other, to provide different lengths of pellets.

The severed pellets are collected below the scrapers 51 and 51a in asheet metal box 59, formed to fit around the entire die ring andprovided on one side with a discharge spout 60. The opposite side of thebox 61, having a cleanout door 62, facilitates the purging of fineswhich fall from the die ring after passing the pellet scrapers.

In operation, the die ring 12 is rotated in counterclockwise directionas viewed from the top, by the action of drive pulley 24 and the gearassembly 21-19. The frictional engagement of the outer periphery of thepellet pressing roller 25 at one point on the inner periphery of theforming die 12, causes the roller 25 to correspondingly rotate incounterclockwise direction, thus aifecting a progressive squeezingaction between the opposed converging surfaces of the roller and diewhich define the pressure chamber 39. It will also be noted from FIGS. 1and 3 that one of the idler rollers 33 is disposed in direct oppositionto the area of frictional contact and pressure of the pressure roller 25and die ring 12, thus absorbing the peripheral pressure at this point.The properly prepared meal or other material to be pelleted, is fed intothe machine through the hopper 40, entering the chamber 39 anterior tothe agitating screw 47 which is caused to constantly rotate with thepressure roller 25 through the medium of the connecting belt 49.

The action of the helical screw 47 causes a uniform verticaldistribution of the material in the chamber 39, as it is fed to theconverging surfaces bounding the chamber, and the material is extrudedthrough the perforations 13 in the die 12, by the pressure of the roller25. As before explained, the pressure exerted by the roller 25 on theinner periphery of the die 12 may be regulated by adjustment of thebearing mounting plate 28 on the top plate 10.

As the pellets emerge from the perforations 13 at the outer periphery ofthe die 12, they are scraped off or cut by the scrapers 51 and 51a,dropping into the receiving box 59 from which they are dischargedthrough chute 60 into suitable bags or containers.

It will be apparent that the apparatus of this invention is designed tofacilitate assembly and disassembly of the various components and theability to adjust the pressure exerted by the roller 25 as well as theinterchangeability of the die ring proper, renders the apparatus highlyversatile in performing its required functions. Furthermore, the freeturning pellet pressing roller operated by friction between the die ringand roller, causes the latter to rotate with a minimum loss of torque.

The particular design of the supporting structural steel frame workprovides a heavy duty machine with a minimum of weight and byrestraining the lateral stresses on the vertical axis die ring by thethree idler rollers spaced at apart around the periphery of the ring andat the same time resisting the horizontal force imposed at the bottom ofthe roller shaft 26 by means of the spaced pillow block bearings 27,.the die is capable of operating under maximum pressures.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the invention may be readilyunderstood by those skilled in the art without further-description, itbeing borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the detailsdisclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A pelleting machine comprising a supporting frame, an annular diemember having a series of radially directed, peripheral perforations,rotatably mounted on a vertical axis in said frame, means for drivingsaid die member, a relatively large, single pressure roller disposedwithin and filling the major internal area of said die member, saidpressure roller being freely rotatable on a vertical shaft parallel withbut eccentric to said last-named axis, with one side of the periphery ofsaid roller progressively in frictional driving engagement with theinner periphery of said die member, said roller and the adjacent area ofsaid die member defining a single material receiving chamber havingwalls which converge at the point of said frictional engagement, meansfor feeding material to be pelleted to said chamber, materialdistributing means in said chamber, driven by said roller shaft, meansfor laterally adjusting the axis of said roller to regulate the pressureof its peripheral engagement with said die member, 21 series ofannularly spaced idler rollers engaging the outer periphery of said diemember to absorb said peripheral pressure, scraper means engaging theouter periphery of said die member for severing pellets extruded fromsaid chamber through said perforations, and means for collecting thesevered pellets.

2. A pelleting machine comprising a supporting frame, an annular diemember having a series of radially directed, peripheral perforations,rotatably mounted on a vertical axis in said frame, means for drivingsaid die member, a freely rotatable pressure roller mounted within theconfines of said die member on an axis parallel with but eccentric tosaid last-named axis, with one side of its periphery progressively infrictional driving engagement with the inner periphery of said diemember, said roller and the adjacent area of said die member defining amaterial receiving chamber having walls Which converge at the point ofsaid frictional engagement, means for feeding material to be pelleted tosaid chamber, an arm'- tator in said chamber for effecting a uniformvertical distribution therein of material fed to the chamber, means forlaterally adjusting the axis of said roller to regulate the pressure ofits peripheral engagement with said die member, means embracing theouter periphery of said die member to absorb said peripheral pressure,scraper means engaging the outer periphery of said die member forsevering pellets extruded from said chamber through said perforations,and means for collecting the severed pellets.

3. A pelleting machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said agitatorcomprises a helical screw member, rotatably mounted on a vertical axisin said chamber, anterior to the point of frictional engagement of saiddie and roller, and means for rotating said screw.

4. A pelleting machine comprising a supporting frame, an annular diemember having a series of radially directed, peripheral perforations,rotatably mounted on a vertical axis in said flame, means for drivingsaid die member, a freely rotatable pressure roller mounted within theconfines of said die member and supported at the lower end of avertically extending shaft, the axis of which is parallel with buteccentric to said last-named axis, one side of the periphery of saidroller being progressively in frictional driving engagement with theinner periphery of said die member, said roller and the adjacent area ofsaid die member defining a material receiving chamber having walls whichconverge at the point of said frictional engagement, bearing meanscarried by said frame for supporting said shaft, means for laterallyadjusting said bearing means to regulate the pressure of the peripheralengagement of said roller with said die member, an idler rollerembracing the outer periphery of said die member in direct opposition tothe force of said pressure roller, to absorb said peripheral pressure,scraper means engaging the outer periphery of said die member forsevering pellets extruded from said chamber through said perforations,and means for collecting the severed pellets.

5. Apparatus as claim in claim 4, including means for adjusting therelative position of said scraper means with respect to the periphery ofsaid die member.

6. A pelleting machine comprising a supporting frame of heavy sheetmaterial including a rigid top plate, an annular die member having aseries of radially directed, peripheral perforations, rotatably mountedon a vertical axis in said frame, means for driving said die member, afreely rotatable pressure roller mounted within the confines of said diemember on a vertical shaft, the axis of which is parallel with buteccentric to said last-named axis, said shaft extending verticallythrough said top plate and being supported in vertically spaced bearingscarried by said top plate, one side of the periphery of said rollerbeing in progressive frictional driving engagement with the innerperiphery of said die member, said roller and the adjacent area of saiddie member defining a material receiving chamber having walls whichconverge at the point of said frictional engagement, means for laterallyadjusting said shaft bearings for shifting the axis of said roller toregulate the pressure of its peripheral engagement With said die member,means for feeding material to be pelleted, to said chamber, a series ofidler rollers embracing the outer periphery of said die member, one indirect opposition to the force of said pressure roller, to absorb saidperipheral pressure, scraper means engaging the outer periphery of saiddie member for severing pellets extruded fromsaid chamber through saidperforations, and means for collecting said severed pellets.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim -6, including an agitator in saidchamber, mounted on a vertical shaft parallel with said roller shaft anddriven by the latter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,869,492 OHalloran Aug. 2, 1932 2,073,064 Ireland et al. Mar. 9, 19372,252,900 Shafer Aug. 19, 1941 2,642,011 Sizer June 16, 1953 2,798,444Meakin July 9, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 526,292 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1940

